Helmet plays a prominent role in safe your head cycling. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, helmets prevent the occurrence of 88 percent of serious injuries. Therefore, you can understand the importance of using a helmet. But the helmet has to be strong and quality-full.
In this article, I have discussed almost everything about certified and non-certified helmets such as which is the best for you, their expiration, how you know that, their price, and many more things regarding them. Also, if you don’t know which helmet is the safest for you, then get the answer by reading the article attentively.
What Is A Bicycle Helmet?
A bicycle helmet is a headgear that protects the rider from a head injury at the time of riding. A cyclist noob or pro can fall off the cycle in any way while riding otherwise. there is a high risk of injury. Since the head is the most important part of the body, it is most important to keep the head safe in case of an accident. And helmets do that important job.
What Is A Certified Bicycle Helmet?
In the beginning, we have known that a helmet is a headgear that protects the cyclist from probable injury. In spite of protecting from this injury, it is important to know whether the helmet is effective or not, or whether the helmet has the right components to prevent accidents. And, it examines different organizations following different processes.
- If a helmet passes these tests, then the organizations designate the helmets as usable and accident resistant. Only then, these designated helmets are called certified helmets.
How Many Organizations Provide Certificates Of Helmets?
Various organizations worldwide have been providing helmet certificates. They issue this certificate based on different climates and rules and regulations in different regions. At least 10 recognized organizations are providing helmet certificates globally.
Although it is better to use a certified helmet, in many countries cyclists don’t use the certified helmet. But Europe and USA are very strict about the certified helmet and they do not allow non-certified helmets. The most popular organization for providing a certificate in these countries are-
- CEN/ EN 1078: It’s mandatory in Europe for bicycle helmet certification.
- CPSC: It’s mandatory in the USA for bicycle helmet certification.
Besides these organizations, there are a lot of organizations for providing certificates they are: DOT, ECE, SHELL, etc.
Which Certificate Is Best For The Helmet?
A shell certificate is best for a helmet. As we have already learned that various organizations provide helmet certificates, and they follow different procedures in issuing a certificate. And among all of these organizations, a shell certificate is the best certification for a helmet. Because it follows the testing procedure strictly. Furthermore, to get a shell certificate you must pass CEN and CPSC. Thus the shell certificate is more expensive and effective than others.
Why Certified Helmet Is Essential?
A certified helmet can absorb a lot of energy. And a helmet is called an accredited helmet only when it can absorb a certain level of impact. If you fall while cycling with a certified helmet, the effect will spread around the helmet rather than directly on your head. Therefore, you will not be injured in a simple incident. That’s why a certified helmet is essential.
How Long Does A Helmet Stay Certify?
There are no specific rules and regulations about how long a helmet stays.
- If a helmet can prevent you from accidents, then that helmet is certified.
- But if the helmet is getting damaged, it indicates the certified time is expired.
In a word, after a helmet manufacturer, its certificate is issued. So it has a certified time until the helmet expires.
Do Bicycle Helmets Expire?
Yes! The bicycle helmet expired. It cannot be said specifically how long the expiration date of a bicycle helmet is. But if the component of the helmet is damaged after using the helmet, it becomes expired.
Also, remember-
- Even though there is no component damage after using the helmet for a long time, cyclists are encouraged to change the helmet after 5-7 years.
- Some brands say to change the helmet after 3-5 years. But it is better not to use a helmet for more than 8 years.
Do New Helmets Expire?
Yes! If a helmet is not used after it is manufactured, even then it will expire. If you store a new helmet wrapped in paper or after a few days of use, then you will notice that your helmet will expire. Because of your negligence of clean it and some more reasons.
Why The Bicycle Helmet Expired?
The bicycle helmet expired because of internal component damage over time and use.
One of the biggest reasons for expired bicycle helmets is EPS foam damage.
- EPS foam makes the helmet soft and strong. As a result, the helmet can prevent injuries. But as this foam wears down over time, the helmet’s resistance decreases, and the helmet becomes expired.
- Also, the internal component of the helmet is damaged due to the use of hair gel and other cosmetic products. Chemicals used in cosmetic products destroy the padding fabric of the helmet.
Moreover, we do not take proper care of helmets. We just soak in the sun and rain as we please and this makes the helmet expire. Although we know that the helmet is resistant to sun and rain, if it is exposed to excessive sun and rain, its quality will be lost. These are the key reasons for bicycle helmet expiration.
Helmet Health: How Do I Know My Helmet Is Good Or Bad?
To know whether your helmet is good or bad, you have to do some quick tests.
First, you should do the ‘Shake Test’.
To do the shake test, wear your helmet and do some quick right and left movements. If the helmet does not move with you and it moves after a while. Then you can understand that the helmet is not good as it is bigger than your head.
Secondly, you can do a Helmet Inspection.
In this method, you should check the outer shell, internal padding, and foam of your helmet.
- If you find internal padding is decaying, then understand your helmet is not good.
- Besides if you see scratches in the outer shell, you have to understand that your helmet is in an alarming position.
- Although outer scratch is not a big fact.
And, What To Do When A Helmet Expired?
The fine solution is- if a helmet is expired you should take a new one. But if yours is new and it is your favorite and doesn’t want to change it, then you can change the internal padding and other damaged components.
What Is A Non-Certified Bicycle Helmet?
A non-certified bicycle helmet is an as-usual helmet. It does not go through any kind of test after manufacturing. This helmet is marketed directly after production and is not tested for injury prevention. Thus if you use a non-certified helmet while cycling, your trip may be safe or not.
Well, Do Non-Certified Bicycle Helmets Work?
No! A non-certified helmet can’t work properly.
The helmet is an essential element for riders because it protects your skull and brain from injury. If you’ve never been in an accident, you don’t understand the importance of a helmet. So always quality full and certified helmets should be used during cycling.
Because a non-certified helmet may not protect you from danger. The non-certified helmet looks like a certified helmet but it doesn’t work like a certified helmet. More importantly, a non-certified helmet may not protect your head in case of a bicycle crash. Because it is not tested for probable danger protection. So, the non-certified helmet must be avoided when buying a helmet because it surely doesn’t work in time of need.
But How Do You Know If A Bicycle Helmet Is Certified?
To know if the bike is certified or not, you have to pay attention to some things like weight, inner liner thickness, and certification level.
- Weight: Non-certified helmet has less weight. On the contrary, the certified helmet has more weight.
- Inner Liner Thickness: To protect your head from injury your helmet must have thick thickness. The thickness of a certified helmet is thick but the thickness of a non-certified helmet is very thin. Sometimes it is not even seen.
- Certification level: The easiest way to understand whether your helmet is certified or non-certified is to check the certification level. If your helmet is certified, then it will have a certified level. And you surely can find the certificate level somewhere inside the helmet. But if you don’t find the certificate level easily, then remove the padding and liner. And now you must find the certificate level if your helmet is certified.
Certified VS Non-Certified Helmet: A Short Comparison Between Them
| Differences | Certified | Non-Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A helmet that is go through some testing procedure after manufacturing to ensure its safety is called a certified helmet. | A helmet that doesn’t go through any kind of testing procedure after manufacturing to ensure its safety is called a certified non-helmet. |
| Quality | High-quality | Low-quality |
| Price | High | Low |
| Weight | More | Less |
| Safety | Ensure Highest Safety | Low safety |
| Thickness | More Thickness | Less Thickness |
Two Essential FAQs: Need To Know
1. What is a good price for a helmet?
Depending on quality a bicycle helmet costs 75-150 droller. But for a higher quality helmet, you have to spend 250-350$.
2. Are more expensive helmets better?
Of course! More expensive helmets are better. Although price does not determine the quality. But to find a good quality helmet you should spend a good amount of bucks. Because the high-quality helmet uses High-quality components, so they sound costly.
Before The Ending Of Certified VS Non-Certified Helmet Discussion
A helmet is important at the time of cycling but the certified helmet is more important. And a non-certified helmet can save you from some small accident, but it can’t cope with the big incident. Though both certified and non-certified look the same, they have some differences. Therefore, for safe and sound riding you should always use an accredited helmet. So, Safe Paddling My Dear Friend with the proper safety gear like using effectively certified helmets.
